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www.bridgton.com Vol. 143, No. 10
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. 20 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
March 8, 2012
(USPS 065-020)
SIXTY CENTS
Planning director explains Bar Harbor departure
By Lisa Williams Ackley Staff Writer Anne Krieg, the Town of Bridgton’s new director of planning, economic and community development, said she left her last job at the Town of Bar Harbor in July, 2011 because that coastal community had chosen to no
longer offer planning services — only code enforcement. Krieg acknowledged, in a telephone interview with The Bridgton News this week, that she was let go from her job as Planning Director for the Town of Bar Harbor in July of last year for that reason.
The Town of Bar Harbor had agreed to an $85,496.93 settlement with Krieg, who was at the end of the first year in her threeyear contract with the town. There is a non-disclosure clause in the separation agreement, which is the reason Krieg declined to discuss it in any detail.
“It was not my choice,” Krieg said Mar. 5 as to how she lost her job. “There was a large amount of work and a lot of committees coming out of the (Bar Harbor) Planning Department,” she said. “The town (of Bar Harbor) doesn’t provide planning services any longer, but the committees
are standing (still operating). Again, the town (of Bar Harbor) isn’t going to be offering planning services. I can’t comment on the town’s motivation.” Asked if her dismissal from Bar Harbor had anything to do with her job performance in the nine years she worked there, Krieg
forthrightly answered, “No.” Bridgton looked ‘beyond the resume’ Bridgton Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz said Monday that members of the hiring committee here in Bridgton, who recommended he hire Krieg, also
DEPARTURE, Page 10A
Committee ‘went beyond authority’
THRILLING RIDE — The Burnt Meadow Snowmobile Club recently held its annual sliding party at the home of Richard and Cristin Perreault in Brownfield. More than 60 kids and adults enjoyed the beautiful sunny day of sliding, drinking hot chocolate and eating hot dogs on a hill that was groomed to perfection. Thanks to all the club members for a fun day. Pictured here are Cristin Perreault with granddaughters Makayla and Alysa.
Ground-floor commercial rules refined
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer The Bridgton Planning Board continued work Tuesday on an amendment to the Site Plan Review Ordinance that would prohibit new housing-only development in the downtown. The proposed new language, as recommended by the Comprehensive Plan Committee, now reads as follows: “Any parcel that is 20,000 square feet or greater within the Village Center District (see map) shall be used for retail, professional or mixed use. When the development is mixed use, the ground floor shall be used for retail or professional office space only. This subsection (Section 10.C) is retroactive as of February 20, 2012.”
Brew plans return
By Gail Geraghty Staff Writer Robert Prindle and Angela Roux of the Mt. Henry Brewing Company are back again, trying to find the right site for their plans to build a microbrewery in Bridgton. The business partners originally looked at Portland Road land near the Naples line, then eyed the Big Kahuna building in Pondicherry Square. Both deals fell through. On Tuesday, they came to the Bridgton Planning Board hoping to site their microbrewery at 48 Portland Road, a 2.28-acre lot containing the former Curtain Shop and another building. The Curtain Shop space would be turned into a 32-seat “Taproom” under their proposal, open from noon to 8 p.m., and the MICROBREW, Page A
CPC member Glen “Bear” Zaidman offered a map showing a new Village Center District running from Main Hill down Main Street, including all of Depot Street, continuing along lower Main Street to the intersection of Kansas Road, and extending along Portland Road to Maple St���������������������� r��������������������� eet. It is this map, and the above language, that will be subject to a public hearing before the planning board on Tuesday, March 20, at 7 p.m. in the selectmen’s��������������� �������������������������� meeting room. Selectmen will be meeting the same night, holding their own public hearing downstairs on another major issue — pay-perbag������������������������� recycling��������������� — so March 20 should be a busy night at the municipal complex.
At �������������������������� their Mar. 6�������������� meeting, the board focused on the “whatifs,” realizing the amendment could have unforeseen impacts on property owners with lots of 20,000 square feet or larger who currently don’t use their property for business, or who might wish to convert it for residential use in the future. But most of the 25 or so people in attendance supported the amendment as a means toward preserving the traditional mixed-use nature of downtown, with commercial storefronts on the ground level. The amendment was, in part, in response to plans expected to be submitted to the town in April by Avesta Housing, Inc. to build an affordable housing project — with no ground-floor
commercial space — on the former Chapter 11 property near Pondicherry Square. Of particular concern was the amendment’s impact on home business operations. Some in attendance believed existing rules for home businesses would exempt them, but others weren’t sure. Administrative Assistant to the Planning Board Georgiann Fleck has written to the Maine Municipal Association seeking advice on the legality of the amendment. “Bear’s done a great job showing us how much land is available for commercial development on Main Street,” said board member Ken Murphy, who lives behind the Hebb h����� ������ ouse
RULES, Page A
By Lisa Williams Ackley and Gail Geraghty Staff Writers Members of the Bridgton Comprehensive Plan Committee members on Monday refused to back down after selectmen and the town manager accused them of overstepping their authority by taking an amendment request directly to the planning board before their work on updating the plan is even complete. The decision set the stage for a showdown on the dispute at the selectmen’s next meeting on March 13. Even knowing they might not be reappointed when the time came, the committee voted unanimously not to rescind their recommendation that the planning board consider amending the Site Plan Review Ordinance to require developers of mixed
use property on Main Street of 20,000 square feet or more to reserve the ground floor for commercial use only, retroactive to Feb. 20, 2012. ‘Slap in the face’ Emotions ran high in the discussion before the vote, as several members expressed their displeasure and surprise that selectmen, after meeting in an emergency executive session, were calling them to task for what they believed they had every right to do, as a committee working on town planning issues. “This caught me unaware. It seemed like a real slap in the face,” said committee member Dick Danis. “I guess we did something wrong, because we got slapped.” Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz said Monday the
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — The Maine Human Rights Commission (MHRC) dismissed the validity of a complaint against the Casco Rescue Department by one of its volunteers. On Monday, the commission “voted to uphold the no reasonable grounds finding,” according to HRC Case Controller Cindy Albert. The vote was 5 to 0, she said. The decision means the HRC did not find sufficient evidence that age discrimination had occurred when the rescue department was filling shifts for its schedule. In 2011, Casco resident and
emergency volunteer Irene Morton filed an age discrimination case with the HRC, according to Albert. The case had been tabled several times since it was first on the agenda in October 2011. The case was heard in Augusta on Monday, she said. Holly Hancock, who served as the rescue department chief at the time of the complaint, said she would prefer to withhold her comment. “I want to wait until I get the official word from the Human Rights Commission before commenting,” Hancock said during a town meeting on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, Casco Town Manager Dave Morton said the
Rights complaint dismissed, 5-0
COMPLAINT, Page 10A
Casco considers staff pay raises By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Local elected officials presented two sides of the coin when discussing municipal staff pay raises. The proposed town budget made its first appearance before the Casco Board of Selectmen on Tuesday. Previously, the Casco Finance Committee has begun the process of reviewing the 2012–13 budget during its regularly scheduled meetings on Wednesday. Approximately 10 minutes into the discussion about the budget, Selectman Tracy Kimball pitched the idea of working in a pay raise. “For this budget year, I would like to see the town manger have
MOTHER GOOSE STORYTIME — at the Bridgton Public Library on Friday celebrated Dr. Seuss Read Across America Day, with Debbie Buffington (at left), who is one of two new storytime helpers at the Library, leading some of the activities. Pictured with Debbie are fouryear-old Caleb Coombs and his three-year-old sister, Ellie Coombs, of Bridgton. The Western Maine Family Literacy Program provided books, cupcakes and activity materials March 2, with Nicole Carey Kilborn of WMFLP reading a Dr. Seuss book aloud to the youngsters. (Ackley Photo)
AUTHORITY, Page 10A
a three to five percent increase in his pay,” Kimball said. “It’s been five years since he (Casco Town Manager Dave Morton) has had a pay increase,” she said. Morton’s last pay raise occurred in 2007. He earns an annual salary of approximately $75,000. Kimball told fellow board members that doling out that long-due pay increase would be “the honorable thing to do.” “It would be unreasonable for anyone in a professional business to go this long without a raise,” she said. Nobody immediately responded to Kimball’s recommendation.
RAISES, Page 10A
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